Five Razorbacks, Doubles Advance at ITA Regionals

STILLWATER, Okla. – The Arkansas men’s tennis team finished the opening day of the ITA Central Region Championships with five Razorbacks and one doubles pair advancing to the Round of 32.

Eleven Hogs competed in the singles main draw today with seniors Stefanos Savva, Alan Sau Franco, Melvin Manuel, junior Jake Sweeney, and sophomore Benedikt Emesz all advancing to the Round of 32. Four of the five received a first-round bye while Sweeney claimed two straight-set victories today to clinch his spot.

Senior Foster Rogers kicked off the tournament with a three-set win in the Round of 128, defeating Ethan Gaubert (Omaha). In the next round, Rogers faced top-seeded Tyler Zink from Oklahoma State, dropping the match in straight sets.

Sophomore Božo Barun started out with a straight-set victory in the opening round over Omaha’s Mikel Garmendia. Barun went on to drop his Round of 64 match to Mark Mandlik (Oklahoma).

Freshman Connor Smillie dominated in his Round of 128 match, winning 6-0, 6-1 against Sansh Kumar (Saint Louis). He faced Alex Garcia (Oklahoma State) in the next round, dropping the match in straight sets.

Sophomore Gerard Planelles Ripoll received a bye into the Round of 64, falling in his only match of the day to Wichita State’s Luke Bracks. Graduate Jared Horwood and senior Jakob Mosvold both fell in their opening round matches of the singles main draw, sending them to the consolation draw along with Planelles Ripoll.

In the doubles main draw, Savva and Barun clinched their spot in the Round of 32 after a close victory in their opening match. The duo defeated Creighton’s Patel/Daijima 8-7 (2), sending them to the next round. The four remaining Arkansas pairs will open play in the doubles main draw tomorrow.

Singles play will begin at 9 a.m. CT while doubles play starts at 2 p.m. CT.

Day One Results
Singles Main Draw
R128: Rogers (Arkansas) def. Gaubert (Omaha), 2-6, 7-5, 6-0
R128: Barun (Arkansas) def. Garmendia (Omaha), 7-5, 6-3
R128: Okonkwo (Tulsa) def. Horwood (Arkansas), 6-1, 6-2
R128: Smillie (Arkansas) def. Kumar (Saint Louis), 6-0, 6-1
R128: Sweeney (Arkansas) def. King (Wichita State), 6-3, 6-4
R128: Christiansen (Nebraska) def. Mosvold (Arkansas), 7-5, 6-2

R64: Sweeney (Arkansas) def. Johansson (Drake), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5)
R64: Savva (Arkansas) def. Behun (Saint Louis), 6-2, 6-1
R64: Sau Franco (Arkansas) def. Sepulveda (Wichita State), 4-6, 7-5, 7-5
R64: Manuel (Arkansas) def. Korkunov (Omaha), 7-5, 6-2
R64: Emesz (Arkansas) def. Bolin (Drake), 6-2, 6-1
R64: Zink (Oklahoma State) def. Rogers (Arkansas), 6-4, 6-0
R64: Mandlik (Oklahoma) def. Barun (Arkansas), 6-3, 6-2
R64: Garcia (Oklahoma State) def. Smillie (Arkansas), 6-0, 6-3
R64: Bracks (Wichita State) def. Planelles Ripoll (Arkansas), 6-4, 6-4

Doubles Main Draw
R64: Savva/Barun (Arkansas) def. Patel/Daijima (Creighton), 8-7 (2)